[Hanzo]

ASSASSIN'S GUILD 

"Ne iter occultum metuas."

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Overview

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 Summary - What is The Guild?

- The Assassin's Guild is a shadowy congregation composed of several groups, as well as various freelance cells. Though its exact number of members is unknown even to established assassin, those that find themselves within The Guild's uniform will see its grasp and influence spread through every level of society - from beggar unknown, to silk-clad nobility. Yet, veiled as they are, one thing is certain. As long as mankind knows of hatred and disdain, of envy and of ambition - those willing to put their fellow to the blade will find ample work. Should they, possess a useful set of skills, of course.

 Founding - What is The Guild's history?

- The organization came to begin operations somewhere in last decade, though the laying of its foundations was a process that had lasted many more of the same. Before The Guild's blade first tasted flesh, had many a person met beneath the veil of night, sealing treaties, deals and contracts. As first propositions of its inception bloomed in dusky circles, so did it begin growing in a steady, cautious way - becoming incredibly structurally complex in the process. One needed to, after all, balance plots of intrigue in heedful ways. Yet, despite very few being aware of the complete machinery, every cog knows its place; and thus it turns undisturbed to this day today, smelting blood into gold. 

 Operations - How does The Guild work?

- The Guild's main purpose is to eliminate one of the main hazards that comes with the trade of a killer. Those enjoying The Guild's protection do not invest themselves into seeking work on their lonesome - thus, removing the risk that comes with the mentioned. Rather, contracts are passed down through a complex network of informants, until they reach the contractor that is to fulfill the request. Once said mission is completed, payment is, likewise, delivered through the same layline - with a modest cut of 37% that The Guild deducts for itself.

[Hanzo]

Mark of Hydrargyrum

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Uniform

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 Crest - What is the symbolism behind it?
- Typically, depictions of The Guild all share one common element, that being a dagger - also known as the sica. These are often incorporated into unassuming places, or masked to blend in with other objects, shapes and forms. This way, none but those that knew what to look for would easily spot and recognize them. One of the most common ways to display the Guild's Mark, is through the ouroboros - a serpent eating its own tail, coiling around a knife. In alchemy, it is used as the symbol for mercury, the element that pierces through all others. With such, it is meant to imply that nothing can be used to shield from The Guild's blade.

 Recognition - Degree of uniformity within The Guild?
- There is no true mandated dress code within The Guild, as one might come to know. What more, the membership of the guild is as diverse in skill, as it is in background and culture. As an assassin increases in rank, they would be permitted a greater level of insight within the workings of the organization - thus getting to know their peers. Yet, one way that one is to spot a guildsman, is by their usage of the "sermo". The sermo is a highly sophisticated form of thieves' cant, that utilizes everything from words and tone, to expression, posture and hand-signs.

 Recruitment - How does one join the Guild?
- Unless one gains access to The Guild by virtue of membership within a coalition, they are typically scouted out by agents that take that role upon themselves. Should someone find themselves with the slightest bit of renown, or a lack of interfering care for lives of their fellow living beings - while being in possession of a certain set of skills - chances are, they will have an excursor on their tail. After much observation, and careful prodding, the potential assassin would be eased into the trade by various prospects. Yet, most often are recruits drawn from people with some experience in the matter, alike freelancers and mercenaries - who are shown the benefits of unionizing over an unmarked grave.

[Hanzo]

Resting Serpent Inn - Dormeho

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Membership

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 Body - How is The Guild structured?
- The backbone of The Guild are its coalitions - groups that form the lion's share of its body. Being part of one of the mentioned coalitions, further decreases the initial 37% cut that The Guild would otherwise take to quench costs of sustaining itself.. Apart from these groups, The Guild holds a number of freelance agents that enjoy its protection, without taking part in its parties. Though they have equal opportunity for advancement, this method of participation is discouraged. Even so, much in the same manner as the former, these agents are set into the chain of command, where they take their respective place.

 Hierarchy - What are the ranks within The Guild?
- Within The Guild, there exist two types of ranks, regular ranks, and honorary ranks. The former is a ranking ladder that determines one's general position within The Guild, while the latter are optional jobs that one can chose to take part in for various benefits - while tending to The Guild's general needs at the same time. Both, are divided into three tiers, that one advances through obtaining a form of currency known as "death coins". These are used both for purchasing new ranks, as well as obtaining other favors from The Guild itself.

[i][+] Low Ranks - The Quaesitor 
---[-] Acolitus - 0 Death Coins
---[-] Spatiator - 10 Death Coins
---[-] Aequo - 20 Death Coins
[+] Tier 1 honorary ranks:
---[-] Frontsman - For a modest decrease in the pay cut, and wages from the object in question, an assassin can chose to become employed in one of The Guild's fronts - businesses that serve to hide the illegal activities going beneath, or mission hubs, resting areas and the like. They pepper the world, and are a vital part of The Guild.
---[-] Courier - For the benefit of receiving slightly more coin with missions completed, an initiate can set themselves into the network of general Guild logistics. These include, but are not limited to things such as contracts, letters, field orders, and all around grunt work. Couriers are, nonetheless, treasured by the organization due to the vital nature of their task.
---[-] Eye - One of the points, where membership becomes a line quite blurry, is with the 'eyes'. Otherwise known as moles - these agents are set into different organizations that poke at The Guild's interest. Though most often not aware of whom they work for, it is not overly uncommon that active assassin take part in this job - for which one receives a symbolic reward, depending on what is it, they fetch.

[+] Mid Ranks- The Sicarius
---[-] Umbra - 40 Death Coins
---[-] Miseria - 60 Death Coins
---[-] Credo - 100 Death Coins
[+] Tier 2 honorary ranks:
---[-] Scout - Or otherwise known as an excursor, is a role available to more senior members of The Guild. They receive a commission should they obtain valuable information, or spy out potential members. Should they do the latter, the request is sent further up the ladder for review. As their 'charge' fulfills tasks, and advances in rank - so are they rewarded in a similar manner.
---[-] Accountant - Once they prove themselves both trustworthy, and capable of such responsibility, assassin can serve to keep The Guild's paperwork tidy. This, involves everything from overseeing contract transactions, Guild funding, as well as due taxes of the various fronts. Accountants receive a modest cut decrease, proportional to the load of work they accept upon themselves.
---[-] Specialist - At this level, an assassin is expected to have a certain skill that they excel at. Should the same be outside a killer's regular set of skills - such as healing, or enchanting - they are welcomed to put it to The Guilds, and their own profit. Rewards for this duty depends on the trade in question, as well as mastery level.

[+] High Ranks - The Orcus 
---[-] Tenebris - Handpicked
---[-] Profundum - Handpicked
---[-] Oblivio - Handpicked
[+] Tier 3 honorary ranks:
---[-] Beholder - An officer position for assassin, with the role of observing and ensuring proper functionality of those beneath them. This involved frequent checks upon accountants, managing fronts, Death Coin distribution, as well as processing reviews posted by scouts. They enjoy a hefty decrease in The Guild's cut.
---[-] Instructor - A role available to experienced assassin with a knack for teaching, and instilling knowledge. They are tasked with providing training to The Guild's agents, as well as testing and initiating recruits suggested by scoutsmen, and approved by beholders. Exclusive rights to training ensure a steady stream of revenue.
---[-] Hunter - Elite combatants of The Guild, taking upon themselves the responsibility of enforcing The Guild's tenets, as well as dishing out punishment for violating the same. Though few in number, they are a deadly force, who's fold is only accessible to the most distinguished assassin. Though often sponsored, they receive a steady funding from The Guild - seeing as they often abandon contracts in favor of guarding the tenets.[/i]

[Hanzo]

"Mastering ourselves."

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The Institute of War

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 Coalition - What is The Institute
- The Institute of War is an private, prestigious academy, based in Bellaux. Those wealthy enough to enroll, find themselves passing through an eight year course - learning the arts of combat and strategy. It is known to produce expert tacticians, who proudly shoulder The Institute's sigil upon their attire. However, due to a political incident that had transpired upon the academy's lands, membership has been at decline. As it stands, the downward slope The Institute is sliding on, is sure to see the old institution's eventual shutdown - in the years to come. 

 Role - Ties to the assassin?
- With The Institute's bankruptcy glinting at the horizon, headmaster Persidious Arann had invested a substantial amount of resources into less 'traditional' means of education. Rather than noblemen, the new expansion focused on training young adults into machines of death - with a great focus being placed upon the manipulation of one's mind, instilment of an almost religious loyalty, and elimination of 'burdensome' things, that would otherwise make a whole human. After numerous failures, the fourth generation of "the butterfly project" is ready to serve.

[Hanzo]

"Dead leaves speak in silence."

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Bonewood Company

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 Coalition - What is The Company
- The Bonewood company is a regiment of mercenaries based in a small fort within Kiefernholz forest, Altalsia. They number around forty men, and have spent the vast majority of their existence serving as monster slayers and trappers. Though their fame is no greater than local, they have made a name for being expert trackers and rangers. Yet, more famous perhaps, is the legend of the forest they inhabit - and of whom they took the name from. Supposedly, evil spirits draw the living into the woods, where they come to deposit their earthly remains (after natural death via bowshot). To this day, the glade is littered with thousands of bone fragments.

 Role - Ties to the assassin?
- Some say they were, once, valiant slayers of wild beast that came to threaten the security in the region. Yet, if such was ever the case - that was then, and this is now. The lack of a Zeran population within the membership has left the group distrusted within Altalsia, and without much work. One needs not much convincing to utilize skills hard earn to sustain themselves. It just happened that Samara - the current overboss of the company - was not reluctant to having her eyes opened at the fact that human hide, pays far better than that of any beast prowling the nearby foliage.

[Hanzo]

"Blood and Coin."

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The Hanged Men

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 Coalition - What are The Hanged Men
- The Hanged men is a group of people responsible for operating The Gallows - an infamous arena set within the southernmost shore of Gold. Nested within the town of Smuggler's Respite, its cliffside structure paints the picture of human cruelty and bloodlust. Far from the reach of law, with desert sand blowing overhead, many gather to observe and gamble on the lives of those participating within the encaged alcove. While the majority of entertainment consists of unarmed combat (not that those are lacking in brutality), from time to time, one can be in luck to find themselves witness to The Death Row, a lethal tournament, where only one can stand the winner.

 Role - Ties to the assassin?
- One can only participate within The Gallows out of their own free will, and thusly, most of the contestants are competent fighters - who make the same a career. Yet, only the most capable would dare test themselves at The Death Row. After a series of different challenges, involving different yet disciplines, only one will remain. They receive a loose rope around their neck - as trophy of their victory. Likewise, they are presented with the opportunity to join the operating body of The Gallows, as one of The Hanged Men. A successful entrepreneur already, the Dead Man was very open to a close business partnership - where the talents of his champions would certainly not go to waste. Blood, and coin.

[Hanzo]

The Gallows - Smuggler's Respite

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OOC Notes

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 Joining - What do you need to know?
- Well, first and foremost, if you wish to join (due to the complex IC nature of things), you need to hit me up at Hanzo#6834, so we can arrange things! There will be more as I think about them, but for now, here are four:

1.) Joining normally - Which would mean that you start outside The Guild, and become a part of it through trials and such.
2.) Joining automatically - Which would mean that you start within The Guild. You'd have already done the joining as part of your backstory. This option, while depriving you of 'The Trials' arc, would bring you up to speed, so that you can participate within the ongoing events!

 Hooks - Interaction with Outsiders?
- Now, while the nature of being an assassin somewhat prevents you from being a protag, that does not mean that it excludes the mentioned. Namely, even without joining, you can still interact with The Guild! Here are some of the ways:

[+] The Mark
--- [-] A dastardly villain, or nemesis of sorts has put a hit onto you, for whatever reason. With assassins after your neck, one might feel death closing its hand around the same. Fight, flee, surrender - or perhaps barter?
Note: A situation like this can lead to many different things, though, some character growth and/or development is certainly guaranteed. If anything, it might be a very interesting way to spice up the life of a character that has had it easy, until now. Regardless of how this turns out, RP courtesy states that it is expected both sides have some degree of success.

[+] Aid of The Shadows
--- [-] By one way or another, you have somehow managed to learn of the existence of an organization that deals in death. Having had problems of your own, for a while - perhaps drowning them in gold and steel might not be such a bad idea?
Note: A thing like this, can very well serve to show a part of human nature - the lengths people are willing to go when desperation settles. Can be mirrored, as well! Maybe you are beating your foe too easily? Time to even the odds, for a new challenger approaches.

[+] Secrets Kept
--- [-] Feel like your character is too good to be believable? Are they complete paragons of everything good and just? In other words, are they boring? Well, maybe those are thoughts of one that just doesn't know them well enough - for the brighter the light, the darker the shadow.
Note: An idea that can be brought to fruition in many ways. Though, the main point is being, that a character that would be seen as good, has a little help from The Guild, in doing various tasks. Maybe an orphanage they are a patron of has a problem? A village abused by highwaymen? Maybe a loved one needs to be watched by a professional, and discreet eye? Things might take another yet turn if said person/entity was to discover The Guild's involvement. Bah, dealing with a band of assassin? How mysterious you are!

[+] Scour the Gloom
--- [-] A person you have held as dear (maybe a sibling, former lover?), had vanished a long time ago. Yet, suddenly, you might run into them by way of various events, and such. However, they are no longer the same person you knew them as - they are something much colder.
Note: I think that a situation like this might do well to show how your character reacts to things like change, and its inevitability. This can be further amplified by the reason they vanished, or in other words, left. Extreme amount of possibilities, and very high potential for drama, and general heartwrench.

- Final Words -
- The Guild is meant to be a narrative element, hoping to enhance an enrich the world, as well as provide
an outlet for your baddies, and otherwise morally-grey characters. I can't say that it will be what you
expect, but what I can say, that it won't be boring. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you
slide into these DMs. As always keep it 100 bois, fortune smile upon you~!